The Tables Turned
by fojg24-aka 24
Summary: What happens when Jarod and Miss Parker has a role reversal?


Disclaimer: "The Pretender" and its characters do not belong to me they belong to TNT and NBC and are being used without permission. Please don't sue because I have no money.

The Tables Turned.

By: 24

Jarod

Jarod walked into the Centre as he did everyday of his miserable life. He went into his office and then headed towards the tech lab where they would start the day in trying to find their elusive pretender named Melody. He greeted Sydney and Broots and then asked if they had any leads.

"I'm sorry Jarod, but there has been no leads on Melody yet."

"We need to find her and bring her back. Everyday she's out there is a day that I don't get my freedom from this place."

"You know she won't want to get caught because she wants her freedom too."

"Like I care what she wants. The lab rat needs to go back to her cage."

"Melody is not a lab rat."

"Whatever Freud."

The phone rang and Jarod picked it up.

"What?"

"Well, hello Jarod. Missed me lately?"

"What do you want? To give me another ulcer on clues to my past?"

"Tsk, tsk. You know why I give you clues to your past. At least you have one."

"You are going back to the Centre."

"Catch me if you can." She said as she hung up.

"Did you get a trace on it?"

"No."

"Find her now." He said as he stormed out of the room. 

He went up to his office and sat down in the chair looking out the window. The door opened and in came his brother Lyle. 

"Had any hits on Melody yet?"

"Shut up Lyle. What do you want?"

"Nothing. Just checking up on my brother."

"When do you care about me?"

"Oh, I'm deeply hurt."

"I bet you are. Now get out."

"Okay, fine."

He sat there looking at a picture of his mother holding him as a baby. He loved his mother and thought that she would always be there for him, but that turned out to be untrue. He remembered how she used to tuck him in at night and read him bedtime stories. 

He then got up and headed towards the tech lab again. Hopefully they would have a hit on her soon. 

"Anything yet?"

"Not yet." 

Broots continued typing and then there was a beep coming from the computer.

"We have a hit."

"Good. Let's go."

They boarded the Centre's jet. After they landed they took the Centre car that was waiting for them and took off. As they barged in they saw Melody race out of the window and down the fire escape stairs and Jarod took off after her. 

"Stop or I'll shoot Melody."

"You won't shoot me Jarod." She yelled back at him as she went through an alley door. He ran towards the door opened it and looked around, but as before she wasn't anywhere to be found. 

He exited the door and walked up the alley again and up the fire escape to go back into the apartment. He found a yellow notebook sitting on the table filled with newspaper articles on a murder suspect. How he was framed for a crime he didn't commit and how a young woman freed him. He closed the book and told the sweepers to pack everything then went out the door with Broots and Sydney following him.

The Centre

Blue Cove, Delaware

He walked towards his office when they got back from almost catching Melody. He got out his paperwork and started writing when the door opened and Lyle walked in.

"I see you came back empty handed again."

"Shut up Lyle. You don't have luck with catching the lab rat either."

*****

Melody

Melody was in her current lair getting ready to go when she heard noises coming towards her door. She knew who they were and left out the window, but not before the door was kicked in and Jarod gave chase after her.

She ran down the fire escape wondering if this was the day that they would catch and take her back to the Centre. She hoped not because she didn't want the Centre to use her again like they did when she was a prisoner there. She was enjoying her freedom outside where there was sun and so many discoveries instead of being locked up in a cage only to be let out to do the Sims and then locked up again. She was almost to the door when she heard Jarod. She knew that he wouldn't shoot her. They had been friends when they were younger and she held onto that hope that they were still friends. 

She reached the door opened it and disappeared. She was gone before Jarod even opened the door and for that she was glad because she got to enjoy another day of freedom. 

She ran towards the nearest car rental and rented a bright red Ford Mustang. As she drove out of the lot she headed for the freeway and towards another destination.

She would have to wait until Jarod was home to call him. 

****

Jarod 

Jarod gathered his things and put them in his briefcase and then headed home. He unlocked the door and put his things on the table besides the door. He walked in and poured himself a glass of Vodka and sat on the couch. His father was disappointed at him again for not catching Melody. 

The phone rang and he knew who it was, but he answered it anyways.

"What?"

"Well, hello Jarod. Missed me again."

"Someday I'm not going to miss you and you'll be back where you belong."

"Oh, don't bet on it."

"What do you want Melody to gloat?"

"I'm glad that you didn't catch me because I have my freedom a little bit longer."

"Well, don't I deserve my freedom too? I take you back to the Centre and I get to leave."

"Try being taken from your parents at a young age and locked up under the world and tell me about my freedom. Plus the Centre won't let you go after you bring me back."

"Oh, they will."

"Goodbye Jarod." She hung up the phone and Jarod slammed the phone down. 

******

Jarod

Jarod blinked his eyes and looked around trying to find out what in the world was that dream about. He had fallen asleep last night after talking to Miss Parker and he had a dream that he was the one on the pretender chase. He wasn't the pretender, but Miss Parker was. He realized what kind of troubles that Miss Parker had been going through trying to find him. Maybe that was the dreams intention. 

*****

Miss Parker.

Miss Parker looked around her as she woke up sighing that she was where she was supposed to be. She remembered the conversation that she had had with Jarod and then she went to sleep. She got up and got ready for work. As she was getting ready she now had an understanding of why Jarod wanted his freedom so badly. Maybe, just maybe that dream was there so that she could understand him a little bit better. 

Suddenly the phone rang, as she was about to leave.

"What?"

"Hello Miss Parker."

"What do you want?"

"I had this dream last night. Our roles were reversed. I was at the Centre trying to find you and you were the pretender that we were trying to find. I realized all the pain I caused you over the years by giving you clues to your past and for that I'm sorry."

"You had the same dream?"

"You had it too?"

"I was the escaped pretender trying to hold on to my freedom. I realize why you want your freedom so much, but you know I have a job to do."

"I know." He sighed and hung up the phone. There was no easy way out of this and for that he knew. He gathered his things and took one last look at his latest lair and then headed out. 

The End.


End file.
